The wheel of many broken spokes

IMG00080 A few years ago, I bought a cheap wheel at my local shop for my fixed gear bike.  I didn't have a track hub handy, so it was cheaper and faster to just buy a wheel instead of build one up.  It has 36 straight gauge spokes, so I thought it'd be plenty durable.

In point of fact, it has not been durable.  I break spokes a lot.  In the past week, I've broken two spokes (once while riding rollers).  I've had as many as three break on a long ride before.  Since there are 36 spokes, 1-3 missing isn't a big deal and I make it home with a wobbly wheel.

Whenever a spoke breaks, I replace it with a nice double butted, high quality spoke from DT or Sapim.  Out of the 36 original spokes, I think I'm down to about 12 or so originals.  I figure by the end of this winter, I'll have them all changed out, and I'll finally have a reliable wheel.

I could change all the remaining spokes at once, but where's the fun in that?

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You're a glutton for punishment ya sicko.
# Posted By Eirik | 1/6/09 2:00 PM
Yeah, but I can change a spoke without taking the tire or cogs off, so it's a quick job.
# Posted By erikv | 1/6/09 2:19 PM
so, why not use some nice strong straight gauge spokes...

i figure with a big guy like you on a fixie you should be going with tied and soldered straight gauge high tension spokes...
# Posted By gewilli | 1/7/09 7:26 AM